


An Undesired Bond

by heeroluva



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Ghosts, Haunting, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-25 04:56:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12523476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heeroluva/pseuds/heeroluva
Summary: After Sakumo's suicide he wakes up at his son's side. That is not a good thing.





	An Undesired Bond

Sakumo remembers the pain of driving the blade deep within his body, a killing blow that traveled through and ruptured multiple organs. He remembers the slow death, lying there in a spreading pool of his blood as an icy chill spread through him until he felt nothing. He isn’t sure what he expected of death, but it certainly isn’t to wake up pain free on a soft futon.

Openings his eyes, Sakumo freezes when he sees his son’s face on the pillow beside him, streaks of dried tears on his face. Reaching up, Sakumo tries to cup his cheek, but his hand passes right through him.

Eyes widening in horror at the implication, Sakumo scrambles back until he feels the press of the walls against his back (he’ll be curious as to why he didn’t go through that later) as his head shakes in denial. Sakumo had heard the stories, of course, of people without a bond being haunted by the ghost of someone whose soul they were compatible with, an opportunity for the dead to have a second chance if the living would accept them.

Ghost fucking, Sakumo had scoffed at the very idea until he’d seen it first-hand. Jiraiya had been very dead, yet a week later he’d appeared again at Orochimaru’s side. When questioned, Jiraiya had confirmed that yes, he’d died, but he’d come back for Orochimaru. All test confirmed that it really was Jiraiya, and despite the implausibility of it, they’d had no choice but to believe it.

But this, this is wrong. Kakashi is his son, a child still. However, even if he was older, Sakumo can’t imagine such a thing. Sakumo loves nothing likes he loves Kakashi, yet… yet… Sakumo looks at the dried tears on his son’s face, and raises a hand to block the sob that attempts to bubble from his throat as he realizes exactly what he’d done, how very selfish he’d been in his actions.

Steeling his resolved, Sakumo decides that Kakashi must never know, yet that does not mean that he cannot protect his son. He isn’t sure how he does it, but his form stretches and shifts, and a great white wolf sits were he once had been. Sakumo won’t burden his son with his shame, but he will do everything in his power to ensure he lives a long life.

 

Kakashi isn’t sure when the white wolf first showed up. Pakkun is tight lipped about it, just saying he’s not a summon.

“Thank you,” Kakashi tells the spirit each time it aids him.

“Please stay,” Kakashi begs the first time he sees the spirit after the deaths of his teammates, always feeling lighter when in the wolf’s presence.

The wolf hesitates, clearly torn before it finally closes the distance between them and settles himself at Kakashi’s side. He doesn’t make a sound when Kakashi’s fists knot painfully in his fur, when his arms curl just too tight around him, when the snot and tears from Kakashi’s quiet sobs soak his pelt.

In the morning when Kakashi wakes alone, the pain returns, harsh and biting, and he can’t help but feel disappointed.

As the years pass, Kakashi sees the wolf less and less, but he’s certain he can always feel it nearby, just out of sight.

Sitting in his office alone the day after he’d been named Hokage, Kakashi doesn’t feel the surprise he should when the spirit appears at his side, one of the few times he’s seen him outside of a mission.

“Father,” Kakashi greets.

The wolf’s form wavers and slowly shifts until the translucent form of Hatake Sakumo stands before Kakashi just as he remembers him.

“How long have you known?” Sakumo asks, unable to meet his son’s eyes.

Kakashi gives a one shoulder shrug in response. “Years.” At first he’d been angry and hurt, but Kakashi had made his peace with it long ago.

Sakumo makes a pained sound. “Kakashi—”

Holding up a hand, Kakashi interrupts him. “I forgave you a long time ago, and I just wanted to thank you, not for saving me, but for staying.”

The hand that cups Kakashi’s face is surprisingly warm. “I’m proud of you, son.”

Chest tight, Kakashi says, “You don’t have to watch over me anymore. You can rest.”

“Kakashi?” Sakumo asks.

Leaning forward, Kakashi presses a chase kiss to his father’s lips. “Go!”

As Sakumo fades, so does the warmth in Kakashi’s heart, and when he finally disappears forever, Kakashi lowers his face to his hands and weeps.


End file.
